Oilers HC Kris Knoblauch keeps it real about players stepping up in Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl's injury absence

Edmonton Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch said that having star players Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl out injured had an upside as other players were stepping up to fill the holes. Knoblauch was interviewed during TSN’s “OverDrive” on Tuesday night.

Show host Bryan Hayes asked about the possible benefits of having McDavid and Draisaitl being out due to injuries. Knoblauch said the team was “trying to look at as many positives as possible.”

“You never want to lose those two guys, and winning games every night is more difficult when they're not playing,” Knoblauch said. "But I think in the long run, I think it's good for our team. Allows other guys more opportunities to find their game.

“We've got some guys that probably haven't played as well as we expected or they expected, and here's an excellent opportunity when those two big guys are out of the lineup. Just everyone's role has increased. Their ice time is more and it's a lot easier for them to find their game and contribute more.”

The Oilers held off the Seattle Kraken 5-4 on Saturday. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins scored a hat-trick, the fourth of his NHL career. This was only the third game that the Oilers have played without both Draisaitl and McDavid in the lineup since the Oilers' captain joined the team in the 2015-16 season.

“We understand that when you lose two of the best players in the world that you’re going to feel it. But I think the way that you play as a team shouldn’t matter too much who’s in and who’s out,” Nugent-Hopkins said via NHL.com.

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Knoblauch discusses Oilers’ new power play roles without Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl

On TSN's "OverDrive", Knoblauch opened up about reshuffling the team’s power play lineup with both McDavid and Draisaitl on the injured list. The Oilers’ coach said that other players like Jeff Skinner, Viktor Arvidsson and Adam Henriques would get their chance to contribute more in that area.

“Two guys I'm thinking about are Arvidsson and Jeff Skinner. Those two guys have been good power play guys but have kind of a really insignificant role with us,” Knoblauch said.

“So here's their opportunity. They were on our first unit power play the other night, and, no, they're not going to replace and be as good as Connor and Leon, but they are pretty good power play guys…Henriques, another guy who has been good on the power play. He scored the other night.”

Edmonton will face the Dallas Stars at Rogers Place on Wednesday.